Keeping the Dream Alive: Is Propellant-less Propulsion Possible?

Abstract

“Breakthrough” advanced propulsion can only take place with a correct understanding of the role of inertia in general relativity. Einstein was convinced that inertia and gravitation were the obverse and reverse of the coin. The most general statement of the principle of relativity, captured in his Equivalence Principle and the gravitational induction of inertia. His ideas and how they have fared are reprised. A rest mass fluctuation that is expected when inertia is gravitationally induced is then mentioned that can be used for propulsion. Recent work supported by National Innovative Advanced Concepts Phase 1 and 2 NASA grants to determine whether thrusters based on gravitationally induced inertia can actually be made to work is presented. A recent design innovation has dramatically increased the thrust produced by these Mach Effect Gravity Assist (MEGA) impulse engines.

Gravity and Inertia in General Relativity

“…position of the device on the rods with a Philtec position sensor. Typical results with this arrangement are reported in [12].…”

“…Those circumstances are the production of thrust in small systems, seemingly without the use of propellant, by coupling to the gravitational field of the universe through the mass fluctuations driven a stack of piezoelectric disks clamped to a brass reaction mass with an aluminum cap and screws. This is described in the precursor to this paper [12]. A device of this sort is show here in Figure 1.…”